Chapter 242: Scene 29 (Inverted V) Ningwang Boarding School...
"I—I'm fine—my throat is fine—you don't have to worry about me—stay safe—have a safe trip—"
He Fangying's voice gradually disappeared amid the hum of the car and the rustling of the wind through the weeds. He Yuezhe lay on the back seat of the car, watching He Fangying's figure gradually turn into a small dot and then disappear.
"Why, you can't bear to let go?" Jiang Ruoshi was driving in front and asked when he saw He Yuezhe's actions in the rearview mirror.
"Well, a little bit." He Yuezhe nodded.
"Then why are you following?"
"I..." He Yuezhe was silent for a moment, then turned around and looked at Jiang Ruoshi in the rearview mirror. "Someone is waiting for me there. I have to go."
"...Why are you being so mysterious?" Jiang Ruoshi looked away.
“…”
"Don't sit there, come over here, or you might fall."
"oh oh."
He Yuezhe climbed from the co-pilot seat to the cup hole between the co-pilot and the main driver's seat and sat down obediently.
"Jiang Ruoshi," she asked, "What were schools like in the old world?"
"A school from the old world..." Jiang Ruoshi was wearing sunglasses, so He Yuezhe couldn't see her eyes clearly. "It's similar to schools nowadays."
“…”
"There's also a lot of academic pressure, but it's not about survival, it's about pursuing your dreams."
“…”
"Puppet, hey, can I call you Pomegranate?"
"Can."
"Pomegranate, do you know what a 'dream' is?"
“…”
"Dreams. Back then, everyone had dreams. Some dreamed of becoming scientists, researching incredible things to benefit humanity. Others wanted to become painters, depicting all the beautiful things in the world, both real and unreal."
“…”
"Simply put, a 'dream' is a goal that people strive for in the future. It's about what kind of life you want to live, what kind of person you want to be, and what kind of career you want to pursue."
“…”
"Unfortunately, the one who wanted to be a scientist was dissected and made into all sorts of things, becoming a scientific experiment herself. And the one who wanted to be a painter lost his eyesight and fell into despair, creating one murderous painting after another."
“…”
"At that time, no one liked school because the academic pressure was too great. If you did poorly on a test, you would be scolded by your parents like a thunderbolt. It was as if your value was defined by a few simple red letters on your report card."
“…”
“…”
“…”
"We, with our old world and beautiful fantasies about the future, have come to this new world where all these beautiful fantasies cannot exist."
“…”
"So, Pomegranate, for someone like me who actually lived there for several years, the old-world school is like an ivory tower. It might be anxious, it might be sad, but at least, we are not under the threat of death at any time."
Jiang Ruoshi sighed deeply and didn't continue.
She turned on the car radio, and amidst the crackling sound of electricity, she could just barely hear people singing and talking.
"Looks like I need to give you a good beating." Jiang Ruoshi knocked on the car radio.
"Is it broken?" He Yuezhe had never seen this old-style car radio before, and didn't know whether the sound of electricity meant that it was broken.
Jiang Ruoshi nodded when he heard this, but then shook his head: "No, it's not broken, it's just old. I've used it for too long, it's worn out, and it's not easy to use."
"'Not working'? What does that mean?"
"It means it's no longer useful."
"But you just said you wanted to fix it."
"Here, 'fix it well' means I'm angry and want to hit it."
"Oh, I see."
"Hey, Pomegranate, why are you just like that doll? So stupid."
"Hey, Tang Xiqin, why are you still like that clay doll? I scold you, I hit you, and you just take it."
"Teacher, I..."
"Teacher, let me say it again. Gan and the others have already admitted their mistakes. What happened between you was just a minor fight. Even if the fight hurt or the scolding was severe, you didn't know how to fight back. Now you come to me and complain about it. What's the point?"
"Teacher, I, no, I'm not..."
"No? What do you mean by no?" The middle-aged man said sternly, throwing a stack of blank composition papers at the mud-covered girl. "Since you're not a clay doll, and you know how to speak and say no, then go back and reflect on yourself. Why don't they bully you but only others?!"
“…”
On the white paper, the top line had the words "Apology" written in a random handwriting. There was a blank space in between, and the last line had a few large, blood-stained characters:
"Tang Xiqin, I hate you!!!"
"Also, when the teacher was talking to them just now, they also said that you were the one who bullied them first, and they couldn't stand it anymore, so they bullied you. These words were written by classmate Ren Gan with his own blood, shedding tears. Tang Xiqin, the teacher understands you and understands that you don't want to get too far away from your classmates, but your approach is completely wrong!"
“…”
"I'll pretend I didn't see anything this time. You can go now. Classmate Gan has already forgiven you."
“…”
"Don't do this kind of thing again. We're all classmates. If you have anything to say, just talk it over. Got it?"
“…”
Why? Why?!
What do you mean by “petty quarrels”, what do you mean by “I don’t know how to fight back”, what do you mean by “why do they only bully me and not others”, what do you mean by “I bullied them first”, what do you mean by “you just pretended not to see it”? !!!
Teacher, look at me, I have so many wounds and scars on my body. It was obviously done by them, but you chose to believe them!
Why? Why?!
“…”
“…”
"Tang, I'm sorry. Did we upset you in some way? I'm sorry. We'll be more careful next time..."
“…”
"No, you don't need to pay attention to it. She's the one who should correct it!"
"Well, teacher, we'll go first..."
"Let's go, let's go, be careful on the road."
“…”
“…”
But the thousands of words roaring in my heart just turned into a light sentence: "Yes, teacher, I know I was wrong, and I will correct it."
"Well, go away. I don't want to see you again."
“…”
"Bang."
“…”
There is nowhere to go, nowhere to go. I can only endure everything and linger in this place. At least, it is better than losing my life.
Tang Xiqin walked out of the office, covered in smelly mud, and everyone who passed by her covered their mouths and noses.
She was used to this kind of sight.
Anyway, it has always been like this for so many years.
She knew that she would die sooner or later, either at the hands of that group of people or lying on the roadside, but she would not die in the eyes of these people, she would not die in the rage that was about to overflow.
“It stinks.”
"Stay away from her."
"That's right."
“Ding Di——”
"Hey, wait, are there new students here? I heard there are two whole classes here!"
"Hurry up, let's go and take a look!"
"good!"
New classmates?
Tang Xiqin turned her head and looked towards the school gate.
There was a very long car parked there, and the horn sound must have come from it.
“Ding Di——”
"Ouch, here it comes!"
"here it is……"
"Ningwang Boarding School!"
"Ah, yes, Ningwang Boarding School." Jiang Ruoshi took off her sunglasses and glanced at the man she was chatting with under the car. "Are you the, uh, sweeper here?"
"Uh, no, I'm a sponsor and I'm here to take a look." The man, wearing dirty clothes, waved the broom in his hand.
"Call your supervisors."
"What are you guys doing here?"
"Call your supervisor. I don't want to have to say this a third time."
“—Ohhhhhhh okay okay! She’ll be here soon!!!”
"Um."
“Haha, haha…”
"He doesn't look normal." He Yuezhe sat on Jiang Ruoshi's shoulder and whispered to her.
Jiang Ruoshi turned his head away: "Do you think you are normal?"
“…”
"Hurry up and hide. Be careful not to be discovered, or I'll dismember you for research."
"Oh, okay."
He Yuezhe jumped into Jiang Ruoshi's pocket.
After a while, a woman's voice was heard outside the car. She talked to Jiang Ruoshi about school issues, and then Jiang Ruoshi drove the car forward for a while before getting out of the car.
"Well, I'll help the kids put their things in the dormitory first. I'll trouble you for the next few days."
"It's no trouble, no trouble!" The woman's voice was a little shrill and flattering. "It's our great honor that Dean Jiang is willing to send these children to us! Everyone knows that you, Dean Jiang, treat your children like treasures. I promise to treat them well and won't let them be dissatisfied in the slightest!"
Jiang Ruoshi replied coldly: "Well, I hope you can do what you say."
"Yes, yes, of course!"
It is daytime now and the students are all in class in the teaching building, so the dormitory is empty.
He Yuezhe had met all the children last night when she followed Jiang Ruoshi back to Hongri Orphanage, so as soon as she jumped out of Jiang Ruoshi's pocket, several children caught her vigilantly, looked around, and then carefully put her on the ground.
I don’t know what Jiang Ruoshi said to the children, but it seemed like these children treated her as something flammable, explosive and fragile.
"No, what if something happens to you? Why don't you come with us?"
"That's right, it's very dangerous here. Dean Jiang said that there are a lot of bad people here who will bully children. If you get caught by them, it will be bad!"
"No, I'm very strong, I'll be fine!" He Yuezhe straightened her clothes, stood firm, and drove away the children who were worried about her. "Go and take care of your own things, don't come to protect me."
"No, no, that won't work!"
"Yes, Dean Jiang said that, but you——"
However, immediately afterwards, a figure appeared that made her stunned for a moment.
All the sounds in their ears disappeared in an instant, as if they were the only ones left in this familiar, dilapidated corridor.
“…”
“…”
"Long time no see." The figure said with a smile.
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